Week 5 | Monday
Monday – The Mystery Revealed
Written by Tricia Fourman (Jefferson Campus)
https://youtu.be/lCY9Rhg1KfA
Ephesians 3:1-6
Key Verse:
“This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.”
My husband Nick and I had been dating for only three months when I was invited to his older brother’s wedding. Standing in the church lobby that day, I felt completely overwhelmed. Nick was busy with groomsman duties, and I barely knew any other family members. That’s when Grandma Louise appeared. I’m not sure what she saw in my expression, but she must have recognized my anxiety. Without hesitation, she walked over, took my hand, and insisted I sit with her during the ceremony. What seemed like a small gesture in that moment became the first of countless acts of kindness that welcomed me into their family. Nearly 26 years later, I can still feel the profound sense of relief and belonging she gave me that day.
Paul calls himself a prisoner of Christ Jesus, not Rome. Though physically confined in a Roman prison, Paul sees his imprisonment serving God’s purpose in revealing the divine mystery to the Gentiles. For generations, a seemingly insurmountable wall divided Jews and Gentiles. Cultural, religious, and ethnic barriers created a huge divide. Through the gospel, this ancient separation has been demolished. What once seemed unthinkable is now reality!
Paul’s ministry was in many ways like the intentionality of Grandma Louis. Paul, like Louis, was welcoming those not in the family to being in the family. The repetition of “together” three times in verse 6 drives home Paul’s message of unity. Gentiles are not second-class citizens in God’s kingdom. They stand as co-heirs of God’s inheritance, co-members of His body, and co-sharers in His promises through the gospel. We are all one family. This revelation challenged deeply rooted prejudices in Paul’s time and remains equally challenging today. As we confront divisions in our communities based on race, culture, or economic status, Paul’s words call us to embrace God’s vision of radical unity. In Christ, the walls we build dissolve into the greater reality of God’s boundless love. Now the church, like Grandma Louis, is the primary agent of welcoming people into God’s family.
Reflection Questions:
- Paul saw his imprisonment as serving God’s purposes. How might your current challenges be opportunities for God to work through you?
- What “walls” exist in our community or our church that mirror the Jewish-Gentile divide Paul addressed?
- How does knowing you’re a co-heir with all believers change your perspective on other brothers and sisters in Christ?
Prayer Prompt:
“God, thank You for revealing Your mystery of unity through Christ. Help me see beyond surface differences to embrace the spiritual family You’ve created, and provide wisdom to be a bridge-builder in divided spaces.”